Pasadena driver gets gentle caress on wrist for killing popular local cyclist and musician Alan Deane

Once again, a killer driver gets off with a virtual pat on the back for decreasing the excess cyclist population.

What else can you call it when the driver pleads to reckless driving, bargained down from an original charge of vehicular manslaughter? And gets off with an obscenely lenient 10 days of community labor, 400 hours of community service and a whopping $4000 in restitution and other fines.

That’s what the life of a human being is worth these days. If he’s on a bike, anyway.

So much for keeping dangerous drivers off the road. Let alone sending any kind of message that would encourage careless motorists to slow down and pay a little more attention for fear of the consequences if they didn’t.

If this is what passes for justice around here, I’ll pass.

Maybe our new DA will decide that bike riders have a right to get home alive.

Misra made a statement to the court apologizing for his actions and saying it’s a heavy burden he’ll have to live with until the day he dies.

I have no doubt that he’s sincere in his remorse. Lord knows I couldn’t live with myself under the same circumstances.

But I can assure you Deane’s family feels a hell of a lot worse.

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A 63-year old Long Beach cyclist suffers a broken hip and rib when the victim of a hit-and-run; her son reports she was trapped under the car, and the driver actually backed off her to get away.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Long Beach Police Department Accident Investigation Detail at (562) 570-7355.